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PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE COMPENSATION REGULATIONS TO AID IN TREE-REPLANTING EFFORTS

Related News Releases: 2005-09-01 | 2005-05-19 | 2004-05-12

Ottawa, May 19, 2005 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has proposed an amendment to the Introduced Forest Pest Compensation Regulations to compensate property owners in Ontario and Nova Scotia to replace trees ordered destroyed to control the spread of three invasive pests.

The amendment was published on May 14, 2005 in the Canada Gazette, Part I, and a 15 day comment period ending May 28, 2005 is being provided to give the public, stakeholders and other interested parties the opportunity to review the proposed amendment and provide the CFIA with written comments.

The proposed amendment will extend the current regulations’ deadline to allow compensation to tree owners who have received a Notice-to-Dispose after December 31, 2004. The deadline for receipt of a Notice will be March 31, 2006 and applications will be accepted until December 31, 2007.

The Introduced Forest Pest Compensation Regulations were put in place in May 2004 to outline the compensation to which tree owners are entitled and to set out the financial parameters for determining individuals’ compensation. This compensation is available to tree owners whose trees were ordered destroyed due to measures used to combat the spread of the Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle, the Asian Long-Horned Beetle and the Emerald Ash Borer.

Three categories of land have been established as the basis for providing compensation: privately-owned, public or municipal lands and woodlots.

Compensation is intended to encourage owners to replant trees where trees have been removed in pest eradication efforts.

Early reporting of the presence of these pests is essential to minimizing their spread and the potential impacts on the environment and the economic viability of Canada’s forestry sector.

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Copies of the proposed amendment can be obtained from the CFIA’s website at www.inspection.gc.ca or the Canada Gazette website at www.canadagazette.gc.ca or by contacting the CFIA at (613) 225-2342.